Patriarch of Baghdad, Mosul Christians should be able to stay in Iraq, not forced into exile

Mar Sako thanks France and Bahrain for the proposal to facilitate visas for Iraqi Christians, but calls for support for "a political solution" so the population is not forced to leave Iraq. Desperate need for emergency aid and shelters for refugees.

Baghdad (AsiaNews) - The families
that have fled Mosul "must
be able to stay in our homeland, Iraq". Facilitating their exile through special visas is not the
real solution, rather a political effort is needed that will "allow us all to
remain in this nation that we love and to live in safety, equality and dignity with everyone",
says the Chaldean Patriarch of
Baghdad, Raphael Louis Sako, in a message sent
to AsiaNews, after
the flight of about 500 thousand Muslims
and Christians from Mosul, following
the Islamic
State's conquest of the city and its establishment of a Caliphate
there under strict sharia.

In recent days, France and Bahrain reportedly stated they are willing
to offer asylum to Christians from Mosul, facilitating visas for them.

The Patriarch thanked Paris and Manama
"for their generous proposal", "it honors us and honors
the countries that make it",
but he stresses that "if we leave
our homeland we will destroy the memory of our ancient history".
Rather than a temporary, humanitarian solution to
the emergency, a "political solution" is what is needed: "all components
of the Iraqi nation and the international assembly needs to think about finding a lasting solution that respects everyone and can save our country from
this chaos and barbarity. "

The patriarch - who
yesterday returned from a visit to
the families who have sought refuge in Kurdistan - says
that "today, these displaced families have nothing left, the jihadists robbed them of everything and they are in a situation of insecurity,
pain and dire need".

While respecting the personal decisions
of each of refugees, Mar Sako says that "if France and other countries really
want to help, [they should do so] encouraging these families to stay by sending them emergency aid to ease their pain and
help the construction of housing
in the cities where they can live
in security".

He points out that on the other hand,
the proposal to accommodate these
families abroad, without knowing
their number "is no simple
thing, and certainly we must also think about the huge uprooting this entails with regard to
the difference in language , culture, mentality and
customs".